DJs’ April Fools’ prank leads to small-scale panic

A pair of longtime disc jockeys have gotten in hot water for their annual April Fools’ Day joke.

The problem: They joked about water quality, saying “dihydrogen monoxide” was coming out of residents’ taps. It caused small-scale panic among some radio listeners in the Fort Myers, Fla., metro area.

One woman wrote in saying she worked in the food-service industry and was trying to figure out how to serve customers and prepare food without requiring water.

Time to go to Google, listeners: H2O, i.e. dihydrogen monoxide, is water.

The joke immediately got the attention of Patty DiPiero of Lee County Utilities. She said residents began calling the utility Monday morning — the joke played on a 5-to-9 a.m. show — saying they heard that county water was unsafe and should not be used for drinking, showering or for any use.

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